The class finished learning about the basics of narrative writing and then went on to read and analyze Alice Walker's The Flowers.

We looked at mood.  We identified the initial mood of the piece (in this case, the mood is one of happiness) and identified exactly where and how the mood changes (in this case, the mood changes to one of fear or apprehension the moment that Myop finds herself in a dark, damp, unfamiliar place).  We looked at how mood must change in order to better show what is actually happening in the story (i.e. 'a short story is where something happens to someone' - Joyce Carol Oates.)

When we finished The Flowers, we then started to look at Joyce Carol Oates' Small Avalanches.

Next class:

We will finish reading and analyzing JCO's Small AvalanchesThe class finished reading and analyzing Joyce Carol Oates' Small Avalanches.